Great or Just Good Enough?

How can we call ourselves artists, and performers that stand for something, if it is "just good enough?"

In the "instant" of our society, "just good enough" tends to be used alot. It tends to be accepted alot. It tends to be encouraged alot, from all directions.

Well, I don't accept it. I don't accept it from myself, from my singers, from my life...and I don't accept it from other artists, performers, production, creation, and those who call themselves "creative staff".

"Good enough" is a cop out for lack of vision, lack of commitment, lack of talent, lack of focus, lack of growth. It is the lazy way out; it is the coward's way through the business. It excuses and makes excuses and never allows the process to truly find its true life and fulfilled achievement. It makes excuses for the ordinary, for the mediocre and the mundane so they can fit in too.

Well, guess what? Ordinary, mediocre and mundane DO NOT fit in with true art and true performance and true commitment of artistry.

Why would we settle for "good enough" if we know there is a possibility to create "great"?

Discovering GREAT takes commitment. It takes TIME. It takes ENERGY, DEVOTION, DEDICATION. It takes close examination and careful execution. It takes a willingness to get into the process with everything you have and DISCOVER what is really there.

"Great" demands the truth. "Good enough" reveals the truth of ordinary to everybody else but the people who choose that path.

"GREAT" talent demands reality in which to discover and blossom. It cannot settle for "good enough" - in study, in discovery, in fruition. Whether that "greatness" is in the performer or the creative staff - it NEEDS to be nurtured and realized. It cannot be "good enough". There is no "enough" in greatness.

Have you found your greatness? Or have you settled for good enough? Are you calling yourself great and still refuse to dedicate yourself to your path? Are you calling your talent great, yet refuse to truly tap into it and develop it?

Untapped or dismissed potential is always that - potential. Potential is only potential. If we do not commit to the possibility of what it could morph into, it remains potential. And, sadly, after awhile, untapped/ignored/dismissed/taken for granted "potential" IS NOT good enough.

Are you convincing yourself it's "good enough" because you are in denial of what you possess? Are you pretending? Are you scared to claim your ability? Are you afraid you don't have any? Or are you hiding because you know the answers and just don't want to face the reality?

If you speak of artistry and carry with you a talent and a will to approach it truthfully- you have to LIVE IT. You have to NURTURE IT. You have to EXPLORE IT. You cannot speak of it if you do nothing about it. "Just good enough" is talking and doing nothing real. The more you discover your "greatness" the less you have to say. The "great" is in the doing.

Are you living your artistry? Are you discovering your craft? Do you continue to nurture and develop and build craft and technical prowess and depth of understanding and execution?

If you are not, and it's just good enough - then why are you doing it at all?

If you WANT it, why are you settling for good enough?

"Great" is the complete commitment and pursuit to and of your craft - however that manifests. "Good enough" is lazy, ordinary and spits in the face of truth.

Find your "greatness"...or at least commitment to discovering where it takes you.

Good enough paints with a broad and very beige brush; GREAT is unique, individual, and VIVID.

I don't know about you, but the last thing I want is beige.

Susan Eichhorn Young

Susan Eichhorn Young covers all things voice—strong and sophisticated singing and speaking.

If you liked this post, please share it or comment with your thoughts below!